The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-03-03
Rawlins?"

"You bet," said Rawlins, looking from
Kate to her sister in undisguised admiration.
"And I suppose the duty could not have
been very pleasant one," said Mrs. Hale,
timidly, without looking at her husband.
"Gad, madam, that's just it," said the gal
liant Colonel, seating himself with comfort
able air, and an easy, though by no means
disrespectful familiarity. ave went into
this fight little more than week ago. The
only scrimmage we've had has been with the
detectives that were on the robbers track
Hal ha! The best people we've met have
been the friends of the men we were huntin',
and we've generally come to the conclusion
to vote the other ticketl Ez Judge Hale and
me agreed ez we came along, the two men ez
we'd most like to see just now and shake
hands with are George Lee and Ned Falk-
ner."
''The two leaders of the party who robbed
the COACH" explained Mr.. Hale, with a
slight return of his usual precision of state
ment.
The three women looked at each other with
blaze of thanksgiving in their grateful eyes.
Without comprehending all that Col. Clipch
had said, they understood enough to KIN W
that their late guests were safe from the
pursuit of that party, and that their own
conduct was spared criticism. hardly dare
write it, but they instantly assumed the ap-
pearance of aggrieved martyrs, and felt as
if they werel
ayes, ladiesln continued the colonel, in
spired by the bright eyes fixed upon hiru.
ave haven't taken the road ourselves yet, but
-pohn honor-we wouldn't mind doing it in
case like this" Then with the fluent but
somewhat exaggerated phraseology of a MN
trained to stump" speaking, he gave an
account of the robbery and his own con-
nection with it. He spoke of the swindling
and treachery which had undoubtedly pro-
voked Falkner to obtain restitution of his
property by an overt act of violence under
the leadership of Lee He added that he had
learned since at Wild Cat Station that
Harkins had fled the country, that a suit had
been commenced by the Excelsior Ditch
company, and that all available property OF
Harkins had been seized by the sheriff.
'Of course it can't be proved yet, but
there's no doubt in my mind that Lee, who
is an old friend of Ned Falkner's, got up that
job to help him, and that Ned's Off with the
money by this time-and Pm right glad of
it. l can't say ez we've done much toward
it, except to keep tumbling in the way of
that detective party of Stanner's, and SO
throw them Off the trail-ha, hal The judge
here, 1 reckon, has had his share of fun, for
while he was at Hennicker's trying to get
some facts from Hennicker's pretty daughter,
Stanner tried to get up some sort of vigilance
committee of the stage passengers to burn
down Hennicker's ranch out of spite, but the
judge here stepped in and stopped that"
sit was really highhanded proceeding,
Josephine, but managed to check it," said
| Hale, meeting somewhat consciously the first
direct look his wife had cast upon him, and
falling back for support on his old manner.
SIN its way, think it was worse than the
robbery by Lee and Falkner, for it was done
| in the name of law and order; while, as
| far as can judge from the facts, the affair
that we were following up was simply a rude
| and irregular restitution of property that
| had been morally stolen"
81 have no doubt you did quite right,
though l don't understand it, )" said Mrs. Hale,
languidly; "but trust these gentlemen will
stay to luncheon, and in the meantime excuse
us for RUNNING away as we are short Of
| servants, and Manuel seems to have followed
/ the example of the head of the house and left
us, in pursuit of somebody or something"
When the three women had gained the
vantage ground Of the drawing room, Kate
said, earnestly, "As it's all right, hadn't we
better tell him now?"
Decidedly not, child" said Mrs Scott, I'M
| peratively. "Do you suppose they are In q
hurry to tell us their whole story9 Who are
those Hennicker peoples and they were there
| a week agoI"
"And did you notice Johns hat when he
came in, and the vulgar familiarity of calling
him 'judge?" +" said Mrs. Hale
"Well, certainly anything like the familiar
| ity of this man Clinch I never saw" said
Kate. "Contrast his manner with Mr.. Falk-
| ner'S."
At luncheon the three suffering martyrs
finally succeeded in reducing Hale and his
| two friends to an attitude of vague apology.
But their triumph was short lived. At the end
of the meal they were startled by the tramp
ling Of hoofs without, followed by loud
| knocking In another moment the door
was opened and Mr. Stanner strobe into the
room Hale rose with look of indignation.
II thought. as Mr.. Stanner understood that
| I had no desire for his company elsewhere, he
would hardly venture to intrude upon me in
my house, and certainly not after"-
"Ef you're alluding to the Vigilantes shakin'
you and Zeenie up at Hennicker's, you can't
make me responsible for that. I'm here now
on business-you understand-reg'lar busi-
ness. Eff you want to see the papers yer ken.
/ suppose you know what warrant is?'
II know what you aren said Hale hotly,
and il You don't leave my house,